The Engadin Ski Marathon will cross Lake St. Moritz for the first time in 2023. The current snow conditions are leading to some route adjustments between St. Moritz and Pontresina and on Lake Sils. Nevertheless, the Engadin will be played on the entire route between Maloja and S-chanf.
The current snow conditions and high temperatures in the Alps are leading to some changes in the route of the Engadin Ski Marathon. For the first time, 12,500 runners will run across Lake St. Moritz. In St. Moritz-Bad, the route takes you across the polo meadow onto the lake. The field passes the world-famous backdrop of St. Moritz and then ascends to the dairy farm.
There, the route changes to the snow-covered road to Lake Stazer, crosses the lake, then climbs back on the road to the highest point of the race and turns back into the original lane with the descent to Pontresina. On Lake Sils and Silvaplana, the top layer of ice is mechanically roughened, processed into ice snow with the existing natural snow and prepared as a skating trail. However, it will not be possible to prepare a classic trail on the two Great Lakes. “Thanks to the additional preparation of the Great Lakes and the adjustments to St. Moritz, we will be able to offer the 42-kilometer route between Maloja and S-chanf,” says Menduri Kasper, CEO of the Engadin Ski Marathon. “The process for preparing lakes is not new: As early as 2008, the top layer of ice was processed into snow. The trail was tough, but it worked well.”
The special route across Lake St. Moritz has also already been tested: In 2021, when, due to the pandemic, not the Engadin but a 50-kilometer World Cup was held, the field was running on this route.
“It is important that we do not overburden the sensitive moor areas in the Stazerwald in the current snowy conditions. Together with the municipalities, we were able to find a good solution that even brings a new highlight to the Engadin. Once again, the support from the Engadin communities is great.”
Women's run and night run over 17 kilometers each, “Individual” from Pontresina
The traditional marathon week starts on Sunday, March 5, with the 22nd Engadin Women's Run. It is carried out on the original route between Samedan and S-chanf and is, after the Engadin Ski Marathon, the second-largest cross-country skiing race in Switzerland. Registrations are possible until Saturday. Former top biathlete Selina Gasparin from Pontresina is also at the start.
On Thursday evening, March 9, the 5th Engadin Night Run will take place. Like the women's run, it is 17 kilometers long, but leads from Sils to Pontresina: Lake Silvaplana and the special route between St. Moritz and Staz are already being prepared on Thursday and are available for night running.
The snow conditions have consequences for the “Engadin Ski Marathon - individual”, which interested parties can complete from Monday to Wednesday. Unfortunately, the route between St. Moritz-Bad and Staz cannot be prepared for them. The “Engadin Ski Marathon - individual” will therefore start in Pontresina and will take you 21 km to S-chanf with individual time measurement.
Current information on the route and organization of the Engadin Ski Marathon is always available on the website www.engadin-skimaraton.ch. Traffic regulations for St. Moritz-Bad on March 12 are being communicated by the municipality of St. Moritz.
An overview of all the Engadin Ski Marathon 2023 races
- Engadin Women's Run (Samedan — S-chanf, 17 km): Sunday, March 5, 2023
- Engadin Ski Marathon - individual (Pontresina — S-chanf, 21 km): Monday, March 6 to Wednesday, March 8, 2023
- Youth sprint (Samedan, golf course): Wednesday, March 8, 2023
- Engadin night run (Sils — Pontresina, 17 km): Thursday, March 9, 2023
- Engadin Ski Marathon (Maloja — S-chanf, 42 km): Sunday, March 12, 2023
- Engadin Half Marathon (Maloja — Pontresina, 21 km): Sunday, March 12, 2023
Christian Gartmann has been Communications and Media Officer at the Engadin Ski Marathon since 2014. The Engadin Ski Marathon is the biggest cross-country skiing event in the Alps.